Panel Member Wants Vow From Specter

A conservative member of the Senate Judiciary Committee said he could support Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) as chairman of the committee if Specter issued a public statement saying he would not try to block a Supreme Court nominee who opposes abortion rights.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) said Specter assured him in a conversation Tuesday he would push for swift up-or-down votes on nominees without regard to their positions on abortion. Cornyn indicated he was satisfied by Specter's comments but wanted them expressed in an official statement.

Asked if he thought Specter would get the chairmanship, Cornyn said, "Today, yes, I do."

Cornyn also said Specter is seeking a meeting with Republicans on the judiciary panel next week to resolve doubts prompted by his comments last week suggesting that the Senate was unlikely to confirm nominees who would overturn the 1973 Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion nationwide. Conservatives have flooded the Senate with protests, urging Republicans to reject Specter as chairman.

I put this on another thread also

www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1126208/posts from 4-28-04

post # 3

Relax..in order to get Bush's support, Arlen had to agree to step down as chair of the SJC..

post # 5

How do you know this?

post # 6

Sorry, I didn't mean to sound so dogmatic, but I had advanced my theory on the PA primary some months ago.. When many here were upset wih Bush and Santorum for agreeing to support Spector, appear with him, and fund raise for him, I stated that if they hadn't done so, and had supported Toomey, then Spector would have crossed the aisle like Jeffords, and that could not be allowed to happen. However, Bush did play hardball with Spector. I believe that despite what was publicly stated, if Bush had asked Toomey NOT to run, he wouldn't have. Toomey running meant that Spector HAD to turn to Bush for support, i.e...Bush had an IOU..and what would that be, you ask? well, the idea of Arlen as chairof the SJC, presiding over a SC nomination, gives me hives..It would be a disaster. So, in return for Bush's support, Spector signed the letter agreeing to step aside as chairof the SJC in the next congress...we shall see, won't we...BTW..I don't thinkit will be Sessions..they're gonna jump way down the bench to Corwyn....

I don't know how to link this, and I think more searching before this date by people with more talent than I have could turn up more on this.

From NotSpecter.com:

http://www.notspecter.com

Friends - we're in the homestretch in the fight to stop Arlen Specter.

This week - the Congress returns for a 'lame duck' session. The word inside the Beltway is that this is the week that Arlen Specter will have to make his case to the other Republican members of the Judiciary Committee that he should serve as Chairman.

This fight is not over - and we have a great chance to win it. We've seen some very positive signs that our pressure is working. Just this weekend, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist DECLINED to support Arlen Specter for Chairman. And you know that if the Majority Leader is willing to publicly distance himself from Senator Specter - the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee are close to doing the same.

This week may be our last chance to stop a liberal from leading the fight to confirm judges to the federal bench. You've signed our petition - but we need to do more.

We've sent thousands of faxes to Capitol Hill through NotSpecter.com, I strongly urge you to take the time and send YOUR fax. You can do so by clicking here. (http://www.notspecter.com/fax.php)

Don't let the politicians in Washington believe that this is just a momentary outcry that subsides after a few days - keeping up the pressure is CRUCIAL.

But don't stop there - your phone calls matter. Take 15 minutes of your day, perhaps on a coffee or lunch break. Pick up the phone and call each of the Senate Judiciary Committee members. Here are their phone numbers:

Majority Leader Bill Frist (202) 224-3344
Senator Saxby Chambliss (202) 224-3521
Senator Larry Craig (202) 224-2752
Senator John Cornyn (202) 224-2934
Senator Mike DeWine (202) 224-2315
Senator Lindsey Graham (202) 224-5972
Senator Charles Grassley (202) 224-3744
Senator Jon Kyl (202) 224-4521
Senator Jeff Sessions (202) 224-4124
It will only take a few minutes, and it might make the difference between an agenda set by the President, or an agenda set by Arlen Specter.

Best,

NotSpecter.com

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